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By Brian Williamson | Written on April 3rd, 2024
After testing over 50+ robots over the last 6 months, we've stumbled into something that could be the best kept secret in pool robotics: the Dolphin Premier
I've never seen a robot clean like this before. No other robot can capture tiny particles like algae one day and then pickup a bushel of leaves the next. With more filter options than any other pool robot and built on the commercial Dolphin platform, the Dolphin Premier leaps into a new era of adaptability and power within the Dolphin ProLine.
The Premier borrows its Herculean strength from the commercial-grade parts bin of Maytronics' giants – robots built for commercial pools up to 100 feet long. Imagine the audacity – taking commercial-grade motors and fitting them into a commercial pool robot body destined for your backyard pool. It's not just strong, it’s smart too, equipped with exclusive features like the Multi-Media and a gigantic Oversized Leaf Bag. Let’s deep dive into why the Dolphin Premier is the best kept secret in Dolphin lineup.
After several weeks of testing, the Dolphin Premier kept my pool spotless. While the Premier is more expensive than other models, the increased performance of the 2024 model is well worth the investment as it will save you time and is a better value than the alternatives. With a longer 3 year warranty, better motors, and better performance, you can simply set and forget as the Premier automates your pool cleaning routine.
I absolutely loved using the Premier. The new 2024 model is impressive. Within Dolphin’s ProLine, these robots are equipped with all the top features and powered by more powerful motors. The ProLine spans 3 different models, the Premier, Sigma, and Quantum. Each model has its own unique advantages. The Premier stands out with more filter options, the longer 3-year warranty, and dual commercial-grade motors.
Starting off, let’s see what is included with the Dolphin Premier. Once you open the box, you’re greeted with the Premier and its filters. Compared to other Dolphins where you only get the standard fine filter, the Dolphin Premier has 3 filter options: NanoFilters, Standard Cartridges, and an Oversized Leaf Bag.
The Dolphin Premier also includes the robot itself, a 60ft cord with anti-tangle swivel, a weekly timer with Media-Alert, and the manual. It has all you need to get started and more!
Coming from the pressure-side and suction-side cleaners, it’s a huge improvement. The pool industry has pushed pressure-side and suction-side cleaners for years. With a costly booster pump and less efficient, they are a thing of the past.
With modern robotic pool cleaners, they are simply plug and play. The Premier is no exception. Everything you ever need for the Premier is included. You just unbox, throw it in the pool, and turn it on. You don’t need to assemble, wire, or do anything else. I had the Premier up and running in less than two minutes.
The beauty in the Dolphin Premier is the dual commercial-grade motors. With ProLine Dual Commercial-Grade motors, you get the same motors found in the commercial Dolphin Wave robots that cost thousands of dollars more. Paired with residential features such as a weekly timer and more filtration options, the result is a spotless pool.
These dual motors power over 75 gallons of water through the Premier’s filter. You can watch as the Premier creates a vortex in the water as it moves throughout the pool. With 4500 gallons of water being filtered every hour, the Dolphin Premier is more than just a pool vacuum. It actively scrubs debris, dislodges algae, and filters your water.
The genius of the Premier boils down to its Multi-Media. With the ability to swap between different filters, you can customize each clean. The result is a cleaner and healthier swimming pool. After a few weeks of testing, I realized how important this is and that the Premier is the only the Dolphin with this ability.
I started my testing with the NanoFilters. Doing a fantastic job at capturing small sand and dirt that had blown into my pool, it captured a ton of dirt, debris, and gunk from my pool. After a few cycles, you could visually see the increased clarity in the pool.
I did not find myself using the standard filters as often, as the NanoFilters did a great job at capturing both small and large particles. The woven polyester of the NanoFilters has an increased surface area over the standard filters, which allows it to trap particles through a process called sieving.
But once Fall rolled around, I swapped the Premier’s filter for the oversized leaf bag. As I have a large tree that leaves constantly drop into the pool during the winter, this bag was a lifesaver. The Dolphin Premier is the best robotic pool cleaner for leaves. If you have a lot of leaves, the Dolphin Premier is 100% the robot for you.
Rated the Best Robotic Pool Cleaner for Leaves →
If you have used a robotic pool cleaner before, you know how important a weekly timer is. And if you haven’t used one with a timer, you should.
The Premier includes a weekly timer with Media-Alert filter tracking. Not all cleaners have a timer and even fewer have filter tracking. This timer allows you to schedule the Premier to clean daily, every other day, or every three days.
With a simple press of the select button on the power supply, this sets the program. I primarily ran it on the first selection, which is daily. Every day, the cleaner would run its 3-hour cleaning cycle as it vacuumed, scrubbed, and cleaned our test pool.
Can you leave the Dolphin Premier in the pool daily? Yes. It is a common misconception that you must remove the robot from the water daily. While removing and storing it will help preserve the robot, Dolphin builds a solid product that lasts for many pool seasons.
Ideal for inground pools up to 50ft, the Dolphin Premier utilizes a 60ft cord with an anti-tangle swivel. This allows the Premier to travel freely throughout the pool without fear of tangling. Built to handle any surface, the Premier works on vinyl, gunite, fiberglass, tile, and more. We tested the Premier in two different pools: a 40ft vinyl lined inground pool and a 50ft gunite pool.
One of its most impressive characteristics is its waterline cleaning capability. A feature that isn’t pointed out too much on these robots that allows the Premier to climb so well is the climbing rings and dual stabilizer.
Waterline cleaning is available only on premium Dolphin models. Powered by features that allow the robot to climb and stick to the top of the wall, the Premier moves horizontally along the waterline scrubbing away. Often the dirtiest part of your pool, it is an important feature for inground pool owners.
How does the Premier climb the waterline so well? Well at the base of the dual scrubbing brushes, the Premier is equipped with 4 climbing rings. When you unbox your Premier, you may notice the brush or rings appear deformed or bent. Don’t worry, these are the climbing rings that are sponges. Once they hit the water, they will puff up after a few minutes and help the robot climb.
The second part that elevates the waterline cleaning ability is the dual stabilizer. In simple terms, it’s the handle. But it’s not just a handle. You can adjust the Premier’s stabilizers to fine-tune the waterline cleaning. This can be a big help if your robot isn’t cleaning as expected. It is important to note however that the Premier only goes all the way up to the waterline every few times it reaches the wall – so don’t freak out if it doesn’t do it every time.
The Premier includes the 50% longer 3 year warranty. Not limited to cycle or hours, it’s the best warranty available in a robotic pool cleaner. This upgrade can help know your investment is protection in the event anything goes wrong.
The Dolphin Premier also never has any restocking fee. Apart of the ProLine, sellers are not allowed to ever charge a restocking fee. While select Authorized Dealers, like us here at Pool Express, never charge a restocking fee on any products, other dealers will charge you up to 20-50% just to try the robot!
However at Pool Express, we want you to love your pool robots. With a risk-free 30 day trial, you can try the Premier in your own pool for 30 days. Don’t like it? Simply return the robot for a full refund. No hidden fees.
Not much. No pool robot is perfect, but the Premier gets close. The only potential drawback is the lack of a smartphone app. What a lot of people miss is the robots with a smartphone app have no way of setting the timer directly on the power supply, which can be a pain.
If you’re like me, I didn’t love having to pull out my phone every time to reset the weekly timer on other Dolphin robots, so the Premier being directly controlled on the power supply was no big deal. We’ve noticed and gotten feedback that around 90% of buyers prefer the controls on the power supply given the choice.
Yes! The Dolphin Premier is well worth the investment and is the best robotic pool cleaner of 2024. It’s a fantastic value with Multi-Media, a weekly timer, waterline cleaning, and commercial-grade performance at the fraction of the price. Perfect for any inground pool, the Premier redefines what it means to be a robotic pool cleaner.
We aren't the only ones who loved it. USA Today rated it the best robotic pool cleaner of 2024. In the review by Kate Ellsworth, she stated: "Dolphin Premier robotic pool cleaner is the best robotic pool cleaner you can buy".
Read more about the best Dolphin pool robots →
What if you want something else or have a lower budget? Well, here are some great alternatives to the Dolphin Premier for certain situations.
If you want a smartphone app, the Dolphin Sigma is the easiest upgrade you can make. With the same 3 year warranty, NanoFilters, and the addition of a gyroscope and myDolphin Plus app, the Sigma takes the crown for the most advanced pool robot we have ever tested. Also apart of the ProLine, the Sigma utilizes 3 commercial-grade motors rather than 2. The only downside? Well, it is a little but more expensive and doesn’t include a leaf bag. You’ll get the same great performance, just with a little more control on the app.
One of the best value Dolphin robotic pool cleaners, the Dolphin Cayman is a great option if your budget is under $1000 or if you have a smaller pool. Apart of the Dolphin Max-Series, it uses the Gen-2 MaxBin. While you give up the Multi-Media, you can upgrade the Cayman’s MaxBin with NanoFilter panels. It is one of the only Dolphins with a weekly timer under $1000, allowing you to fully automate your pool cleaning. With wall and floor coverage, it won’t clean the waterline however. But all-in-all, it is a great robot to consider for small to medium pools.
Bridging the gap between the Cayman and Premier, the Quantum is a ProLine robot that has it all: MaxBin, NanoFilters, Waterline Cleaning, Weekly Timer. The top-loading XXL MaxBin over 400 square inches and larger than the standard MaxBin. With a shorter 2 year warranty, no Media-Alert, and no leaf bag, you give up a few of Premier’s unique features. However, the Quantum is value packed and ready to clean. So if the Premier is slightly out of your budget, I would highly recommend the Dolphin Quantum.
